Device for raising and lowering water-closet seats and lids.



M. ZEEN DEVICE FOR RAISING AND LOWERING WATER cioser SEATS AND LIDS.

" APPLICATION FILED FEB. 13, 191B.

Patented Aug. 20, 1918.

LQYGAYE,

auvwwlioz tmsmm m VMSW it e FTILI'US ZEEN, 01-? GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF T0 JGHN' ZEEN, OF GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN.

DEVICE FOR RAISING AND LOWERING WATER-CLOSET SEATS LIDS.

Specification of Letters Eatent.

Patented Aug. 20, 1918.

Application filed February 13, 1913. Serial No. 216,981.

Zo all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ll/IARTINUS Znnn, a subject of the Queen of the Netherlands, residing at Grand Rapids, in the county of Kent and State of Michigan, have invented new and useful Improvements in Devices for Raising and Lowering Water-Closet Seats and Lids, of which the following is a specification. i

The present invention relates to devices for raising and lowering water closet seats and lids; and its object is to provide an improved device of that character whereby such seats and lids may be raised and lowered without applying the hands thereto.

This object is attained by, and the invention finds preferable embodiment. in, the structure hereinafter described and illustrated by the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a view in perspective of a water closet to which my invention is applied and showing the seat and lid in lowered position;

Fig. 2 is a side view of parts of the same, but showing the lid in raised position; and

Fig. 3 is a central vertical sectional view of the rock shafts whereon the seat and lid are carried, with connected parts.

In the embodiment of the invention chosen for illustration by the drawings and for detailed description in the body of this specification, the water closet 1 is provided with the seat 2 and lid 3, they being swingable members mounted in the following manner: The upper member,the lid 3-has a hollow rock shaft 4, journaled at 5, and the arm portions 6 turning with said shaft, and has also a continuous elongated deflected slideway 7, preferably in form the arc of a circle as shown, such slideway being a slot cut through the plate 8, fixed on said shaft. These parts, the lid 3, shaft d, arm portions 6 and plate 8 form a unitary swingable mem ber provided with the slideway 7.

The lower member-the seat 2has a shaft 9, rockable in the hollow shaft 4, arm portions 10 turning with said shaft 9, and a continuous elongated deflected slideway 11, preferably in form the arc of a circle as shown, such slideway being a slot cut through the plate 12, fixed on said shaft 9. These parts, the seat 2, shaft 9, arm portions 10 and plate 12 form a unitary swingable member provided with the slideway 11.

" portion 20 of the rod with the The lid and seat, being thus similar in construction and mounting, are also similarly raised and lowered, and in the following manner:

Movable elements, as the rod 13 for raising and lowering the seat and the rod 1d for raising and lowering the lid, are swingably mounted at their lower ends 15, 16, as to the operating foot levers 17, 18, respectively. The upper ends of said elements are provided with portions, as the transverse bolts 19, 20, which are slidable in the slideways 11, 7 respectively.

When theparts are in the position'shown in Fig. 1, the lid may be lifted by pressing the foot on the pedal portion 21 of the lever 18, thus raising the rod 14 and thereby the lid through the engagement of the upper upper side of the slot or slideway 7. When the lid is thus raised to the position shown in Fig. 2 and the foot pressure is released, the rods upper end portion 20 travels by gravity along the slideway to its opposite end (which is now the lower end) and occupies the position shown at the right hand side of Fig. 2. By pressing the pedal portion 22 of the other lever 17, the seat may be raised in like manner. hen the lid or seat is to be lowered, the pedal portion of the lever, (which is now in the same position as before the lid or seat was raised) is pressed by the foot, thus causing the upper end portion of the rod to engage the upper side of the slot or slideway, (as shown at the right hand side of Fig. 2), and as the seat or lid is lowered (the foot pressure being released), the rods upper end travels by gravity along the slideway to its opposite end and occupies the position shown in Fig. 1.

The levers are so juxtaposed, as shown, that either may be operated or both together by a single pressing of the foot.

It will be seen that the nuts and heads of the bolts 19, 20 slidably confine the elements 13, 14 in the closed slot slideways.

Counterweights 23, 24 are desirably provided for the several shafts, as shown.

The invention being intended to be particularly pointed out by the claims, is not to be limited to or by details of construction shown or described.

I claim:

1. In a device of the character described; a swingable member having a continuous defiected slideway; a movable element having one end swingably mounted and having its other end slidabie in the slidetvay to one position wherein said element is adapted to be moved toswing said member in one direction and to another position wherein said element is adapted to be moved to swing said member in the opposite direction.

2-. In a device of the character described; a swingable member having a continuous de fleoted slideway; a lever; an element pivotally connected at one end to the lever and having its other end slideble in the slideway to one position wherein said element is adapted to be moved by the lever to swing said member in one direction and to another position wherein said element is adapted to be moved by the lever to swing said member in the opposite direction.

3. In a device of the character described; a swingable member having in fixed relation thereto a hollon rock shaft and continuous deflected slideway; a second swingable member lia- *ing in fixed relation thereto a shaft roekable in the hollow shaft and a seconl continuous deflected slidewey; a pair of le- \"ers juxtaposed for operation sever-all or together; a pair of elements plvotally connected at one end"to the levers respeeti and having their" other ends slidable in the at. in a device of the character described;

a swingable memberv having an elongated slideway; a movable element having one end s'wingably mounted and having its other end slidabiy confined in the'slidewey and slidabie therein to one posltion wherein said element is adapted to be moved to swing said member in one direction and to another position Wherein sa id elernen moved to swing said member in the opposite direction. i

in testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand a, Grand Rapids; Michigan, this 9th day of February 1918.

Manimns seen.

fiopies oi be obtained for five cents each, oommissioner oi intents,

t is adapted to be i 

